Laughing Gas - Nitrous Oxide - Relative Analgesia - Inhalation Sedation Inhalation Sedation Inhalation Sedation (Laughing Gas) Inhalation sedation, laughing gas, relative analgesia, RA, happy gas, gas and air, nitrous, nitrous oxide, N2O-O2… this one has more names than any other sedation technique! And deservedly so. Inhalation sedation with nitrous oxide (N2O) and oxygen (O2) has been described as “representing the most nearly ‘ideal’ clinical sedative circumstance”… What is it? And what does it do? Nitrous oxide (N2O) is simply a gas which you can breathe in. It has no color, smell, and doesn’t irritate. It was discovered in 1772. Humphrey Davy (1778-1829), one of the pioneers of N2O experimentation, described the effects of N2O on himself following self-administration for a toothache and gum infection as follows: “On the day when the inflammation was the most troublesome, I breathed three large doses of nitrous oxide.

The pain always diminished after the first four or five inspirations; the thrilling came on as usual, and uneasiness was for a few minutes swallowed up in pleasure.” Sounds like fun!! The extract above pretty much summarizes the effects of nitrous oxide: it kills pain – and it induces a pleasurable feeling. After 5 minutes or so of breathing in the gas, you should feel a euphoric feeling spread throughout your body. It really kind of feels like a ‘happy drunk’ feeling. Some people find that there are auditory or visual effects as well. You will feel a bit light headed and often people get ‘the giggles’ (hence the name laughing gas!). As an interesting aside, nitrous oxide was one of the drugs of choice for young people in the late 1700s and early 1800s, when laughing gas demonstrations were a popular source of entertainment and enjoyment. First-hand accounts of Relative Analgesia “I started feeling warm all over. The elevator-type music they had on was starting to all sound the same and I could have sworn that they were looping the same song over and over and over.

I remember somewhat the dentist coming in and telling me that this is going to be a “Three Martini Cleaning” and asked me if I preferred Strawberry Daiquiri or Pina Colada. The taste of Pina Colada filled my gums and then I saw the needle with the local anesthesia for a second, but he must have decided not to use it because I seriously didn’t feel anything. I was already under a nice level buzz from the N20 and I could feel myself relaxing into the chair — the drugs were finally kicking in. The Pina Colada taste in my mouth made me start thinking of previous Caribbean vacations…” “I’m still smelling cherry flavor :-).You start with O2 of course and a few minutes later he asked how i was doing and basically nothing happened so he had to increase it a couple of times and finally I started to relax a bit. No real loopiness but just a sense of yeah I can get thru this. The biggest sensation was my legs felt kinda heavy as if to say maybe I want to stay here a while. Thinking like that I knew the gas was definitely working!! I WANTED TO STAY AT THE DENTIST!!!! Can you believe this.” How does nitrous oxide work?

Today, we know that nitrous oxide (N2O) on its own can only safely be used for short periods of time (because the lack of oxygen in pure N2O can lead to unconsciousness and even death) – but that it’s safe to use for longer periods of time if you mix it with oxygen (O2). Hence, the “laughing gas” used now is called N2O-O2, and contains at least 30% oxygen (that’s all the machines used nowadays will permit). Usually, the mix is about 70% oxygen to 30% nitrous oxide. In medicine, sometimes a mix of 50% oxygen to 50% nitrous oxide is used. This is known as entonox or, more commonly, “gas and air”. Depending on the concentration and length of administration of laughing gas, four levels of sedation can be experienced (after an initial feeling of light-headedness): a tingling sensation, especially in the arms and legs, or a feeling of vibration (“parasthesia”), quickly followed by warm sensations, and a feeling of well-being, euphoria and/or floating.

During heavier sedation, hearing may dissolve into a constant, electronic-like throbbing. At a deeper level of sedation again, sleepiness, difficulty to keep one’s eyes open or speak (“dream”) can occur. Should nausea set in, it means you’re definitely oversedated! If you experience any unpleasant symptoms, let your dentist know so that they can adjust the percentage of N2O. Alternatively, just take the mask off. During relative analgesia, you should stay within the first three stages. The “dream” stage means that the N2O concentration is too high, or that the gas has been administered for too long. This stage can be associated with side effects such as nausea and other potentially unpleasant sensations, including flashbacks. N2O concentration should always be gradually increased (“titrated”) at each visit, because people’s tolerance can vary from day to day. If you’ve had bad experiences with laughing gas in the past, it is highly likely that these were due to improper administration and too high a concentration of N2O. Interestingly, the actual mechanism of action of N2O is still unknown (it appears that there are quite a few different mechanisms at work)!

However, it’s been observed that N2O depresses almost all forms of sensation – especially hearing, touch and pain, and that it seems to disinhibit some emotional centers in the brain. The ability to concentrate or perform intelligent acts is only minimally affected, as is memory. How is nitrous oxide administered? The equipment used for delivering “happy gas” is quite simple. It consists of a supply of compressed gases and an apparatus which delivers the gases to the client. By turning some knobs and flipping on/off switches, the administrator can produce the desired mix of N2O-O2 in the desired quantities. Flowmeters and pressure gauges allow the administrator to keep an eye on the flow of gases. The desired N2O-O2 mix is fed through a tube to which a nasal hood or cannula is attached. This hood is put over your nose. All you have to do now is breathe normally through your nose – bingo!

In modern machines there is a sort of double mask (see photo) where the outside mask is connected to a vacuum machine to suck away the waste gas – you wouldn’t want your dentist to get a face full of N2O… The white inside mask, which is placed over your nose, comes in lots of yummy scents – such as vanilla, strawberry, and mint! The one pictured to the left is scented with vanilla (that’s the one I’d go for), but Gordon likes the minty one best… The twin tubes running to the mask are for “gas in” and “gas out”. The “gas out” line is attached to the vacuum machine, while the “gas in” line is attached to the RA (short for relative analgesia) machine. The inner mask is attached to the “line in”, you breathe out through a one-way valve in the inner mask, and the exhaust gas is collected inside the outer grey mask (pictured to your right) and sucked into the vacuum machine. What are the advantages of nitrous oxide? Nitrous oxide works very rapidly – it reaches the brain within 20 seconds, and relaxation and pain-killing properties develop after 2 or 3 minutes.

The depth of sedation can be altered from moment to moment, allowing the person who administers the gas to increase or decrease the depth of sedation. Other sedation techniques don’t allow for this. For example, with IV sedation, it’s easy to deepen the level of sedation, but difficult to lessen it. Whereas with laughing gas, the effects are almost instant. Other sedation techniques have a fixed duration of action (because the effects of pills or intravenous drugs last for a specific time span), whereas gas can be given for the exact time span it’s needed for. It can also be switched off when not needed and then switched on again (though to avoid a roller-coaster effect, you shouldn’t do this too abruptly). There’s no “hangover” effect – the gas is eliminated from the body within 3 to 5 minutes after the gas supply is stopped. You can safely drive home and don’t need an escort. With nitrous oxide, it’s easy to give incremental doses until the desired action is obtained (this is called “titration”). So the administrator has virtually absolute control over the action of the drug, preventing the possibility of accidental overdoses.

While giving incremental doses is possible with IV sedation, it’s not possible with oral sedation (as a result, oral sedation can be a bit of a hit-and-miss affair). For certain procedures – those involving gums rather than teeth (e. g. deep cleaning) – it may be possible to use nitrous instead of local anaesthesia. N2O acts as a painkiller on soft tissues such as gums. However, its pain-relieving effects vary a lot from person to person and can’t be relied upon. No injection is required. In cases of very severe needle phobia, getting laughing gas first can help you feel relaxed enough to allow the needle required for IV sedation to be inserted in your arm or hand. The very deep state of sedation achievable through IV sedation will then allow you to accept local anaesthetic. Inhalation sedation is very safe. It has very few side effects and the drugs used have no ill effects on the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. Inhalation sedation has been found to be very effective in eliminating or at least minimizing severe gagging. Are there any disadvantages?

Some people are not comfortable with the effects of laughing gas (either because they’re afraid they might lose control or because it makes them feel nauseous – this is quite rare, though, and usually due to oversedation). If you’re prone to nausea, it’s a good idea to have a meal (not a huge one) about 4 hours before your appointment. If that’s not possible (e. g. an early morning appointment), make sure your stomach isn’t completely empty – but don’t stuff yourself straight beforehand either. According to Gordon, who’s a bit of an expert in the field, the normal working concentration of gases is about 70% oxygen to 30% nitrous oxide: “It’s rare to go beyond that because that’s what brings on the nausea, more than 45% N2O and you’re going to have the patient puke on you :grin:”. Some people will not achieve adequate sedation with permissible levels of oxygen. If you can’t breathe through your nose (either because you’re a pure mouth breather, or because your nose is blocked), or you feel too claustrophobic when something is put over your nose, it can’t be used.

Depending on where you live, a dentist who offers nitrous oxide may be hard to come by. Apart from that, most of the disadvantages of inhalation sedation don’t affect you, but the dental team: there’s training required, the equipment is quite bulky and takes up a lot of space, and there is a possibility that dental staff who are chronically exposed to nitrous oxide might develop health problems. The cost of the equipment and gases is high, so you’ll have to contribute to the cost – but it’s quite a bit cheaper than IV sedation. What about bad experiences with laughing gas? On rare occasions, people have reported a bad experience with nitrous oxide. Usually this is due to oversedation – getting too much N2O in the mix. This is easily reversible by reducing the amount of N2O. For example, a few people have reported auditory and “physical” hallucinations, dizziness, or vertigo. Don’t panic if you should experience this. While these symptoms are usually due to the N2O concentration being too high for you, the machines used nowadays have built-in safety features preventing an accidental overdose.

Nonetheless, these sensations can be unpleasant – let your dentist know asap about any unpleasant sensations or symptoms so that they can adjust the percentage of N2O. Laughing, becoming giddy, crying, or uncoordinated movements are other signs that the NO2 concentration is too high, but these will easily be spotted by your dentist. Alternatively, just rip the mask off your nose! Don’t confuse “dizziness” with the normal feeling of lightheadedness which many people who’ve never had N2O before experience after maybe 60 or 90 seconds. The feeling of lightheadedness will pass as the concentration of N2O is increased. Some experts in this field (e. g. Stanley Malamed) argue that nitrous oxide should always be “titrated”. This means gradually increasing the percentage of nitrous oxide in the N2O – O2 mix until a comfortable level is reached. The reason why titration should ideally be used every single time is because of potential adverse effects in the event of oversedation (including flashbacks of traumatic past events, as well as physical ill-effects). However, other experts (e.g.

Fred Quarnstrom) say that it’s ok to use a mix based on prior experience (a concentration which a particular patient has experienced as pleasant during previous appointments). Quite a lot of dentists do this because it’s quicker. The problem with this approach is that tolerance can vary from visit to visit, depending on both psychological and physiological factors. What is experienced as pleasant varies from person to person and from day to day. And once a person has been oversedated, they may come to dislike nitrous oxide so much that they don’t want to try it again. Are there any contraindications? There aren’t any major contraindications to relative analgesia, except for M.S., emphysema and some exotic chest problems. It hasn’t been proven to be safe during the first trimester of pregnancy, so you can’t use it then. Because you have to breathe it in through your nose, it’s not suitable for people who have a cold or some other condition which prevents them from breathing through their nose. You can’t be allergic to N2O. It’s also safe to use if you suffer from epilepsy, liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, or cerebrovascular disease.

It is also used quite successfully in many people with respiratory disease – but it depends on the exact nature of the disease, so check with your dentist! How do I know if it’s for me? Why not ask if you can have a 5 minute ‘sample’ so that you know what to expect on the day of your procedure? Many thanks to Gordon Laurie BDS for his advice and help while writing this page – and for the photos. General Chemistry Online: FAQ: Introduction to inorganic chemistry: What is laughing gas? Introduction to inorganic chemistry Next Question What is laughing gas? Laughing gas is nitrous oxide, N2O (more properly called dinitrogen oxide). It is a colorless gas with a sweet odor and taste. Inhalation leads to disorientation, euphoria, numbness, loss of motor coordination, dizziness, and ultimately a loss of consciousness. The gas is used as an anaesthetic, as a propellant in whipped cream cans, and as an oxidizing agent in racing cars. What is the structure of nitrous oxide? Linear structure of N2O. Click on the picture for a 3D Chime model.

Formal charge considerations suggest that the most important resonance structures are A third structure involving a triple bond between the nitrogen and oxygen is unlikely because that would result in high formal charges. These resonance structures can be used to explain experimental bond lengths. The nitrogen-nitrogen bond is 1.126 Angstroms long which is slightly longer than the triple bond length in N2 (1.098 Angstroms). The nitrogen-oxygen bond is 1.186 Angstroms long. This is longer than the typical N=O bond (about 1.14 Angstroms), which agrees with the prediction of partial single-bond character for the NO bond in N2O. The molecule is not strongly polar, despite the large electronegativity difference between nitrogen and oxygen. The resonance structures again can be used to explain why: the negative formal charge is concentrated on the terminal nitrogen in the structure at left,. The oxygen bears a negative formal charge in the other structure. Each structure is polar, but the dipole moments point in opposite directions. The dipole moment is expected to be small due to cancellation of the contributions from both structures. The low polarity of the gas makes it both fat and water soluble.

This allows it to travel through the bloodstream and into the fatty membranes of nerve cells where it produces its characteristic effects. Nitrous oxide's fat solubility and low toxicity make it an ideal propellant for whipped cream. It dissolves easily in cream under pressure and bubbles out of solution when the pressure is released, creating a fine creamy foam. How was nitrous oxide discovered? Joseph Priestley (the discover of oxygen, soda pop , and carbon dioxide) described the preparation of "nitrous air diminished" in his classic 1772 paper Observations on Different Kinds of Air. The gas he collected over mercury supported combustion, but did not itself burn. He described the bizarre enlarged double-cone of a candle flame in nitrous oxide with great excitement: "I have now discovered an air five or six times as good as common air... nothing I ever did has surprised me more, or is more satisfactory." But Priestley seems to have overlooked the powerful psychoactive effects of breathing nitrous oxide. Over 20 years later, Humphry Davy wrote about the intoxicating effects of nitrous oxide , comparing them to the effects of alcohol. Breathing air after inhaling high concentrations of the gas sometimes lead to hysterical laughter.

It also lead to a cessation of pain and "laughing gas" became the first artifical anaesthetic. It was in common use by surgeons in the late 19th century, and is still widely used in dentistry today. Why is nitrous oxide used in rocket fuels and racing cars? Nitrous oxide supports combustion better than air does. The N2O molecule dissociates at temperatures well below what is required for combustion, delivering an atom of oxygen and freeing molecular nitrogen: N2O(g) N2(g) + O(g) The free oxygen atom quickly reacts with the fuel. A huge gain in horsepower results, since more fuel can be burned in less time. If there is a large excess of nitrous oxide in the engine, the fuel will detonate. At the extremely high temperature produced by the explosion, oxygen atoms freed by decomposing N2O will attack the engine metal, severely damaging it. How is nitrous oxide prepared? The gas is present in trace amounts in Earth's atmosphere as a result of high temperature reactions between nitrogen and oxygen.

Industrially the gas is prepared by gently heating ammonium nitrate [ Archibald ]: NH4NO3(s) 2 H2O(g) + N2O(g) The preparation is dangerous because of N2O's tendency to explosively decompose into nitrogen and oxygen at high temperatures. (The World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombings involved detonation of nitrous oxide produced by rapid high temperature decomposition.) N2O manufactured this way should NOT be inhaled, because it is contaminated with NO2 (a corrosive, irritating gas that can cause permanent lung and genetic damage!) Is breathing nitrous oxide dangerous? While anaesthetists mix nitrous oxide with oxygen, recreational users sometimes do not. Breathing gas rushing from a cylinder can quickly flush all air out of the lungs and cause suffocation. Another hazard of nitrous oxide stems from the fact that it is NOT an ideal gas. N2O molecules attract each other. The attractions require energy to break, so the expansion absorbs heat and the temperature of the gas plummets. A rapid expansion of nitrous oxide can cool it enough to cause frostbite.

People doing whippets have actually frozen their lips, tongues, or vocal cords- and under the anaesthetic influence of nitrous oxide, the damage is done before any pain is felt. Nitrous oxide has also been linked to birth defects, nerve damage, and permanent organ damage. References and Links A Short History of Chemistry, J. R. Partington, Dover, New York, 1989. Engravings showing the apparatus Priestley used to isolate nitrous oxide can be found in Partington's book, along with much interesting biographical information. The Preparation of Pure Inorganic Substances, E. H. Archibald, Wiley, New York, 1932. Preparation of nitrous oxide by thermal decomposition of ammonium nitrate. How dangerous is laughing gas? - BBC News BBC News How dangerous is laughing gas? By Camila Ruz BBC News Magazine 31 July 2015 Close share panel Image copyright ALAMY The UK government is moving to ban the sale of nitrous oxide to clubbers and partygoers because of its dangers, but some users are protesting that the move is unfair. Exactly how dangerous is the gas?

Empty silver canisters of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, have become a common sight outside clubs across the UK. Last July, more than 1,200 were reported to have been confiscated on just one Saturday night in London's Shoreditch. The anaesthetic gas is still used for pain relief during dentistry and childbirth but outside of that legitimate arena there has been a legal grey area for years. It's already illegal to sell to under-18s if there is a risk they will inhale it. But it remains easy for adults to buy. Mainstream online vendors advertise the product, although usually indicating that it is to be used for the production of whipped cream. The product reviews usually suggest otherwise. One reads: "Quality product, I ordered on a Friday and chargers were meant to come on Tuesday but arrived on the next day, good laugh with mates at a festival… er, I mean in the kitchen whipping cream." Now the UK government plans to include nitrous oxide in a bill which will make it illegal to sell "psychoactive substances". Possession - with no intent to supply - and use will remain legal.

"Young people who take these substances are taking exceptional risks with their health and those who profit from their sale have a complete disregard for the potential consequences," said crime and policing minister Mike Penning. But some argue that the ban is unfair. On Saturday, protesters from the Psychedelic Society pressure group will inhale laughing gas outside Parliament. "It's not the business of government to tell people what they can and can't use," says director Stephen Reid. "Nitrous oxide has been used for literally hundreds of years in this country without any problems." It was discovered in 1772 by British scientist Joseph Priestley and within 30 years the chemist Humphry Davy was using it recreationally. Davy began inviting his friends round to inhale the gas from oiled silk bags and in doing so started a craze. "The nitrous oxyd [sic], or laughing gas was inhaled by a gentleman who after laughing sprung up in the air to the astonishing height of six feet from the ground," wrote a correspondent in the Times in 1819, describing a popular stage show. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Sir Humphry Davy, an early recreational user "You kind of feel that you're in a trance," says Reid.

"Some people get a sensation that they're falling or being lifted up into the sky perhaps. When you start coming out of this trance-like state you often get these giggles." Recreational use of nitrous oxide has not always been common. The controversial 1995 movie Kids shows one of the characters using it, but the popularity of the gas has increased dramatically in the past five years, says Stephen Ream, a director of drug charity Re-Solv. Laughing gas and the philosopher "[The 19th Century US philosopher] William James describes a man who got the experience from laughing-gas; whenever he was under its influence, he knew the secret of the universe, but when he came to, he had forgotten it. At last, with immense effort, he wrote down the secret before the vision had faded. When completely recovered, he rushed to see what he had written. It was: A smell of petroleum prevails throughout." From A History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell (1945) Laughing gas is now the fourth most used drug in the UK, according to the Global Drug Survey 2015 . In the past year, only people in the Netherlands used it more.

In 2013-14, some 470,000 people took nitrous oxide, according to the Home Office . It's especially popular with young people, with 7.6% of 16 to 24-year-olds taking it that same year. This was a greater proportion than took cocaine (4.2%) and ecstasy (3.9%). There have, however, been 17 fatalities related to the use of laughing gas in the UK between 2006 and 2012, according to research . The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) says that there was one death in 2011 and five in 2010 . The US records about 15 deaths a year. In 2007, a 23-year-old man was found dead at his home in Birmingham next to a large cylinder of nitrous oxide. A plastic bag was also found nearby, it was reported. The pathologist concluded that he had died from asphyxia due to inhaling the gas. Others have also taken severe risks by using medical tanks and masks.

But the majority of people who consume the gas, according to research, do so using balloons. Image copyright PA Image caption Discarded laughing gas canisters - a familiar sight at music festivals Most of the deaths in the UK have been asphyxiations involving plastic bags, says Dr John Ramsey, a toxicologist who was part of the team that helped compile the death data , using coroner's reports at St George's, University of London. As well as the danger of asphyxiation, when the gas comes out of a canister it can be so cold it can burn. A cold shock at the back of the throat can affect the vagus nerve, causing the heart rate to suddenly slow. Researchers say that the number of people who die from inhaling nitrous oxide is actually low when compared with the number of people taking the drug every year. "There's been something like 40-odd deaths in the last 40 years. They're really rare," says Dr Adam Winstock, consultant psychiatrist and founder of the Global Drug Survey.

Death rates can be difficult to compare but in 2011 nitrous oxide was linked to one death - this was fewer than heroin and morphine (2,652), cocaine (112), ecstasy (13) and cannabis (seven). Image copyright ALAMY The number of laughing gas deaths is fewer than those killed each year by helium, says David Nutt, professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College, London and former UK government drugs adviser. He argues that laughing gas is actually "exceptionally safe" considering the numbers who use it. "I mean you can kill yourself obviously. If you breathe nothing but nitrous for 10 minutes you will die, but I don't think there's any evidence that nitrous kills people if you use it recreationally." The risk of brain damage just isn't worth it as far as I can tell Dr Anna-Maria Rollin, Royal College of Anaesthetists But to some critics, the dangers are clear. Breathing in high concentrations of laughing gas can quickly reduce the blood's level of oxygen.

On a night out, in an uncontrolled environment, there is a risk that people can start feeling sleepy as they inhale the gas and pass out, says Dr Anna-Maria Rollin from the Royal College of Anaesthetists. "The risk of brain damage just isn't worth it as far as I can tell." In March, doctors from the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton warned against using laughing gas after a teenager arrived in their emergency unit with breathing difficulties. She had inhaled a considerable quantity at a festival and air had leaked into the space between her lung and chest wall which can cause the lung to collapse. Heavy use can also deplete the body's stores of vitamin B12, causing anaemia and nerve damage. The Global Drugs Survey found that about 4% of users had symptoms such as numbness, tingling and shooting pains in the limbs. People often use nitrous oxide in conjunction with cannabis or alcohol, explains Shirley Cramer, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health. That too is a concern, she says, as it increases the risks involved.

Nitrous oxide Effects: Feelings of euphoria, relaxation and calmness, dizziness, difficulty in thinking straight and fits of giggles/laughter, sound distortions or even hallucinations Risks: If gas is consumed in an enclosed space or if a plastic bag is used, it may cause lack of oxygen; heavy regular use can lead to severe vitamin B12 deficiency and anaemia; it may also depress formation of white blood cells If someone collapses after using nitrous oxide, call an ambulance immediately, turn them on to their side to avoid choking and stay with them until the ambulance arrives Source: Frank But in general, most users are not consuming laughing gas heavily and at that level it is "a remarkably safe drug", says Winstock, "unless you are drunk or high on other drugs and you happen to do it in the middle of the road and you fall over". "But it's important to say that it is not harmless," says Dr Owen Bowden-Jones, consultant psychiatrist and founder of the Club Drug clinic.

"Some of those risks are to do with the way it's taken and some of it, as with most drugs, is with how frequently you use it." Perhaps the greatest danger is that more young people end up inhaling gases that they think are nitrous oxide but are in fact a dangerous substitute. When 17-year-old Joseph Benett died in 2012 , it was reported as a death from laughing gas. He had in fact consumed a cocktail of gases including butane and pentane from a can brought back from Israel. "What we worry about is that people start to think that inhaling gas for a laugh is an OK thing to do," says Ream. It's certainly not right or normal to inhale a gas for intoxication, he says. How does laughing gas actually work? - Quora Quora Written Aug 23, 2015 Short answer: Nobody knows. Longer answer: All volatile anesthetics probably work in roughly the same way. That means nitrous oxide, diethyl ether, xenon, cyclopropane, sevoflurane, and halothane probably all work in roughly the same way. Other gases also work in this way too, including nitrogen and oxygen.

Nitrogen narcosis, which is seen in deep-sea divers, is caused because nitrogen can have a psychotropic effect just like nitrous oxide, and probably via the same mechanism. Nitrogen is so low-potency as an anesthetic that you need to go deep underwater and breathe high-pressure nitrogen in order to have an effect. Oxygen gas also works this way, but it is even lower-potency than nitrogen. When people go on very deep dives, they need to use a breathing gas mixture that is mostly helium with just a little oxygen. If they had nitrogen, they would get nitrogen narcosis. If they had pure oxygen, they would get high from the oxygen. 100% oxygen at normal atmospheric pressure definitely does not make you high, despite what you learned from Fight Club. You need at least 5 times more oxygen, so you need to be under heavy pressure. But how do all these drugs work? We don't really know, but we have hypotheses and observations. One observation is that anesthetic potency generally correlates well with solubility in olive oil. Gases that are more soluble in olive oil tend to make better anesthetics.

Gases that are extremely lipophilic, such as methane, don't work very well because they are not soluble in water. Gases that are extremely hydrophilic, such as oxygen, don't work very well because they are not soluble in olive oil. (Although as previously discussed, oxygen under high pressure will make you high, and oxygen is very slightly soluble in olive oil.) Why does olive oil solubility matter? A major hypothesis is that these gases must dissolve in the cell membrane, which is similar to olive oil in that it is lipophilic, and the gases then bind to the sides of ion channels and receptors. Another observation is that opioid antagonists such as naloxone partially block the effects of nitrous oxide, so nitrous oxide may have something to do with opioid signaling. Other experiments indicate that anesthetic gases (nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, ether, etc.) may be NMDA receptor antagonists, nicotinic ACh receptor antagonists, and active at a variety of other receptors. In the end, it is very likely that multiple molecular mechanisms are important. It is hard to study because these drugs are so low potency.

When you inject someone with 20 milligrams of cocaine, it is pretty clear to see that lots of cocaine bound to the dopamine transporter, but there is very little cocaine anywhere else. You only gave them 20 milligrams total. When you give someone several liters of nitrous oxide, the nitrous oxide just gets everywhere. Oh, look, it bound to the NMDA receptors! Wait, it also bound to almost everything else. There is just so much nitrous oxide. Laughing gas - The Mix The Mix / Drink & Drugs / Drugs A-Z / Laughing gas Laughing gas Laughing gas makes you laugh – funny that. But what else does nitrous oxide do? And is it safe? Balloons can be used for more than kids' birthday parties What is nitrous oxide/laughing gas? Laughing gas is a colourless, sweet-smelling gas that makes you all giggly. Its chemical name is Nitrous Oxide (N2O) and it’s ‘supposed’ to be used to relieve pain at the dentist, or to make cake icing come out of icing cans. But then we realised we could take it recreationally to make ourselves laugh. How do you take nitrous oxide?

It’s most commonly sold in balloons for you to suck on. The more hardcore users inhale it straight from a canister, but this is pretty risky as you can easily have too much. Why do people take laughing gas? It makes you really sad and depressed… JOKING! It makes you happy and uncontrollably giggly (if you’re on laughing gas right now, you’ll find this crap joke hilarious). It makes any pain you’re in fade away for a while. You’ll have a general feeling of floatiness. Some people have mild dream-like hallucinations and hear weird sounds. What are the bad side effects of nitrous oxide? It makes you clumsier than a drunk clown, lots of people fall over and hurt themselves. It can make you feel like you’re going to vom, especially if you mix it with alcohol. Some people get an instant headache of epic proportions. Too much can make you faint. How long do the effects of laughing gas last? It usually hits you instantly or within a few seconds. The high itself then only lasts for a few minutes, unless you take more. Is laughing gas addictive? There are some people who really crave it and take lots of lots in one go, but this isn’t the norm.

Most people only use laughing gas recreationally once in a while. Can you drink on laughing gas? Mixing nitrous oxide with alcohol isn’t a great idea, as it makes you more prone to accidents. Mixing any substances can have pretty unpredictable effects. What if you use laughing gas a lot? Long-term use can affect your vitamin levels, particularly vitamin B12. This can numb your nerve endings, so you lose feeling in your fingers and toes. Without treatment, this can cause permanent damage. How can I reduce the risks if I take nitrous oxide? Sit down before you suck the balloon. Laughing gas screws up your motor control and it’s likely you’ll fall over and hurt your butt (or face) otherwise. Don’t inhale for longer than 30 seconds, or you could suffocate yourself. That’s nothing to laugh about. If you feel ‘experimental’ and like you want to put a plastic bag over your head to increase the high, please don’t. Lots of people have died doing this. Try not to inhale nitrous oxide straight from the canister as it can give you frostbite of the face.

If you’re going to take nitrous oxide be sure that you use medical or ‘food grade’ nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is also used in motoring and this grade of gas is toxic. Don’t confuse nitrous oxide with Nitric Oxide (NO), which is extremely poisonous. Is laughing gas illegal? It isn’t illegal to take laughing gas, though it is illegal to sell it to anyone under the age of 18. However, as with all legal highs, this doesn’t automatically make it safe . Is laughing gas banned from music festivals? Sucking on a balloon of laughing gas used to be all part of the music festival experience… but not anymore. Most of the major UK festivals have joined together in banning legal highs from their events to send out the message that they’re not safe. Is laughing gas bad for the planet? Nitrous oxide punches big fat holes in the ozone layer and contributes majorly to global warming. For more information about ethics and drugs, read our article here. Photo of girl with a balloon by Shutterstock Next Steps FRANK offers friendly, confidential advice on all things drugs-related. Call now on 0300 123 6600 Chat about this subject on our Discussion Boards .

Need help but confused where to go locally? Download our StepFinder iPhone app to find local support services quickly. Tags: Laughing gas: not funny | ParentInfo Laughing gas: not funny Image ProMo-Cymru CCBY2 Laughing gas, also known as ‘Noz’, has appeared regularly in the media in recent years, with images of well-known celebrities taking it, and shocking stories about the possible side effects. In Spring 2016, the supply and importation of laughing gas, along with a long list of substances known as ‘legal highs’, became illegal and punishable by up to seven years in prison. Before this legal change came into effect we asked Jeremy Sare of Angelus Foundation, an organisation raising awareness of the dangers of ‘legal highs’, to tell us more about a substance that has become increasingly popular with young people in the UK What is laughing gas, or ‘Noz’? Recently, a friend contacted me, having found a few balloons and canisters of laughing gas following his 16-year-old son’s party. It was understandable that he was confused and worried – he’d read newspaper reports where the drug was referred to as ‘hippy crack’.

This phrase is understandably shocking, implying that it is a much more dangerous drug than it actually is. It is a term that has been used by the media – and in our experience, is not one used by young people themselves. Laughing gas is nitrous oxide, an old-fashioned but still effective anaesthetic used mostly during labour as the gas part of ‘gas and air’. The risk of addiction is negligible and overdose is extremely rare. It is inhaled after filling balloons from small metal canisters bought cheaply over the internet. It gives a very short term, but intense, high. Laughing gas is categorised as a ‘legal high’ but is considerably less risky than others, such as synthetic cannabis and stimulant mixtures. Those products can have highly unpredictable effects because a safe dose can be hard to determine. You can read more about other legal highs here. What does laughing gas do to your body? People who have taken N2O are likely to experience feelings of euphoria for 30-90 seconds and become very giggly. They may also notice that their bodily co-ordination is affected, and can experience dizziness or sometimes a very short paralysis. Taking several doses can prolong the dream-like effects.

It is not a hallucinogen but there is often a distortion of audio and visual perceptions. Young people may be more likely to try it after a few drinks and the dizzy feeling can increase the risk of people falling over and injuring themselves. This is the major risk of taking the drug. Exposure to large amounts starves the body of oxygen and can cause brain damage. Daily use will lead to a level of dependence, while regular use can deprive the body of vitamin B12 and lead to nerve damage. These are rare and isolated cases. In July 2015, it was reported that one boy died after taking laughing gas. A few days later, it was discovered that his family believed the death was due to an underlying heart condition, and not the legal high . What does the law say? The law currently says it should not be sold to anyone under 18, but young people seem to be able to get hold of it quite easily. Last year, one in eight 16-25 year olds tried it . Even after the upcoming ban on all psychoactive substances , which will include laughing gas, possession of the drug will not be illegal. But the distribution and importation will be.

This means, anyone ordering it online from abroad, will be breaking the law. How should parents respond? Although parents should not categorise this behaviour as high-risk drug taking, neither is it harmless and you may be concerned that your child has taken something intoxicating. Although you may be worried, it’s important to remember that they have not broken the law by possessing it – and this will continue after the importing and selling of it becomes illegal in April 2016. But remind them that if they order it over the internet from somewhere abroad, they will be breaking the law. It’s a good idea for parents to raise these issues with their children to ensure they understand the levels of risk, how best to stay safe - and how to look after their friends too. We have a suggested conversation script on our website, to help parents raise the subject. It suggests opening with a phrase like: ‘I saw something in the paper recently that worried me. I wanted to discuss it with you to see if you know anything about it…’ and taking it from there. June 19th 2016 1 Shares Is Laughing Gas Really That Dangerous?

Josh Teal in more Nitrous oxide or laughing gas is now the 7th most popular drug the survey including 50 countries, according to the latest Global Drug survey. Over half of the UK participants said they'd tried the drug at some point, and 38% admitted to using it in the last year, making it more popular in the UK than the other 49. NOS, hippie crack - whatever you wanna call it - is no new thing. Nitrous oxide, a sweet, colourless gas, has been used recreationally since the late 1700s. Medical use came about in the early 20th century and has remained an important anaesthetic and painkiller ever since. Chances are, outside of a pre's or house party, you've probably been on the stuff at some point without realising it. Nos is considered to have a low toxicity. Though it can cause dizziness, so there's a risk of falling onto a table head-first in front of all your mates. Credit: Getty Other risks can vary, depending on how the drug's taken. Inhaling nos from a pressurised canister can damage your lungs.

Although rare, people have died from asphyxiation after passing out. Most NOS enthusiasts inhale the drug from balloons, and if the dose is low, the risk of asphyxiation is pretty nonexistent. Heavy usage is bad, naturally. It can lead to vitamin deficiency and anemia as a result of the inactivation of vitamin B12 in the body. Vitamin B deficiency can cause tingling in your fingers and toes, with the potential to last for hours or days. Worse cases can lead to numbness and poor coordination. It's anyone's guess why NOS truly is so popular in the UK. My hunch is that it's mostly legal around the world, cheap and quick. If a user doesn't enjoy the sensation, then they only have to wait seconds for it to go away. But what do I know? Featured image: Getty

Question: What actually is laughing gas?
Answer: Nitrous Oxide